Related Content

The Lowell Fire remains fickle, and the biggest concern for residents and firefighters is the wind, according to Cal Fire officials.

"I'm up here trying to get some answers from everybody, trying to find out if I can have our people come back in on the road," said Kelly Hassfeld, who was patrolling neighborhoods, warning residents about the fire.

The fast-moving wildfire burned two Cal Fire and two U.S. Forest Service firefighters Sunday afternoon. Three of those firefighters were released overnight, while a fourth remained hospitalized after suffering serious burns on his hands, according to Cal Fire.

The U.S. Forest Service firefighter remains in good condition, but is expected to be in the hospital for another week.

One of the Cal Fire firefighters returned to work Monday, while the second Cal Fire firefighter will be recovering from his injuries over the next week, officials said.

More than 1,400 firefighters are actively waging a full assault on the flames, which are threatening about 1,800 homes, Cal Fire spokesman Daniel Berlant said.

"We're expecting to see the weather shift," Berlant said Monday.

With wind gusts starting to pick up from the north, the Lowell Fire could easily shift directions and do even more damage.

Cal Fire is calling it the most dangerous fire of the nine that crews are battling statewide.

"This fire has the most potential to do destruction just because of how many homes are immediately threatened," Berlant said.

One of those homes under threat, and covered in pink flame retardant on Monday, belong to Danny and Lori McMellon of the town You Bet.

"Better to have a pink house and pink yard than no house and no yard at all," Danny McMellon said. " And we're thankful for that. And I've been thinking about that John Mellencamp song, 'Little Pink Houses' whenever I see the picture."

Tahoe National Forest officials issued a closure Monday for a portion of the forest related to the fire, specifically on the south side of the Yuba River Ranger District and includes national forest lands, roads and trails between Highway 20 and Interstate 80, officials said.

All road closures off Interstate 80 and Highway 174 were lifted Monday afternoon. But roads in the fire area remain closed.

The closure is to allow for fire suppression and support personnel safety, as well as public safety and resource protection.

Mandatory evacuations remain for the areas of You Bet, Red Dog and Chaulk Bluff.

An evacuation advisory is in place for the northeastern portion of Cascade Shores and in the Gold Run-Alta area.

A voluntary evacuation order has also been issued for the north side of Interstate 80 from Gold Run to Alta, according to the Placer County Sheriff's Department.

Crews are battling about a dozen major blazes statewide. Since Jan. 1, firefighters have responded to some 1,200 more blazes than they typically would face for the period and "as we continue to get deeper into the summer, conditions are only going to be drier," Berlant said.